Cuff making machine

Abstract

An apparatus for stitching a pair of parallel spaced seams on a workpiece, such as a cuff, is disclosed. A rotatable workpiece clamp is provided for holding the workpiece. The clamp is reciprocated between a forward and a rearward position. A means for stitching a seam, such as a sewing machine, is provided. The stitching means sews along an edge of the workpiece while the clamp is moving in one of the forward and rearward directions. A means is also provided for rotating the clamp after a seam has been stitched along an edge of the workpiece.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for sewing seams on a workpiece comprising: a rotatable workpiece clamp for holding a workpiece;   said clamp being secured to a shaft for rotation therewith;   means for reciprocating said clamp between a forward and a rearward position;   means for stitching a seam to an edge of a workpiece while said means for reciprocating said clamp is moving said clamp from one of said forward and rearward directions;   drive means for rotating said shaft and said clamp in 90° increments after a seam has been stitched to an edge of a workpiece;   said drive means including a motor means drivingly coupled to said shaft, an indexing cam secured to said shaft, said indexing cam having a plurality of stop members, a pawl means for engaging said stop members and for allowing said indexing cam to rotate in 90° increments.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shaft is hollow and said drive means for rotating said hollow shaft in 90° increments includes a sprocket fixedly attached to said shaft. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said motor means has a driven shaft connected through a clutch mechanism to a gear wheel and a chain connecting said gear wheel to said sprocket. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said indexing cam comprises a disc having a generally circular shape with four cut-out portions spaced in 90° increments along the periphery of said cam, said cut-out portions forming said stop members. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus for sewing seams on a workpiece comprising: a rotatable workpiece clamp for holding a workpiece;   a support means for carrying said rotatable workpiece clamp;   means for reciprocating said clamp between a forward and a rearward position;   means for stitching a seam to an edge of a workpiece while said means for reciprocating said clamp is moving said clamp from one of said forward and rearward directions;   means for rotating said clamp after a seam has been stitched to an edge of a workpiece; and   said reciprocating means including a first moving means having a motor means, an endless belt driven by said motor means, said endless belt passing a surface of said support means, and a clamping bar reciprocal between a position securing said belt to said support means and a position releasing said belt from said support means.   
     
     
       6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 23 wherein said first moving means moves said clamp from said forward to said rearward position, and a second moving means is provided for moving said clamp from said rearward to said forward position. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said second moving means includes a cylinder having a pneumatically driven piston rod extending therefrom, said piston rod being attached to said support means. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said workpiece clamp includes a pair of jaws, at least one of said jaws being movable between an open and closed position, a piston rod attached to said movable jaw for moving said jaw between said open and closed positions, an air cylinder carrying said piston rod for movement with respect to said air cylinder, a source of pressurized air communicating with said air cylinder, and said hollow shaft forming a portion of the communication between said source of pressurized air and said air cylinder. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus for sewing seams on a workpiece comprising: a rotatable workpiece clamp for holding a workpiece;   means for reciprocating said clamp between a forward and a rearward position;   means for stitching a seam to an edge of a workpiece while said means for reciprocating said clamp is moving said clamp from one of said forward and rearward directions;   means for rotating said clamp after a seam has been stitched to an edge of a workpiece   said workpiece clamp being carried by a rotatable hollow shaft; and   said workpiece clamp including a pair of jaws, at least one of said jaws being movable between an open and closed position, a piston rod attached to said movable jaw for moving said jaw between said open and closed positions, an air cylinder carrying said piston rod for movement with respect to said air cylinder, a source of pressurized air communicating with said air cylinder, and said hollow shaft forming a portion of the communication between said source of pressurized air and said air cylinder.   
     
     
       10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 9 including a means for moving said workpiece from said clamp. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 9 including a means for cutting excess thread adjacent said stitching means. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus for sewing a pair of parallel spaced seams on a workpiece comprising: a sewing machine;   a workpiece clamp for holding a workpiece having a jaw movable between an open and a closed position;   a pneumatically actuated piston rod connected to said movable jaw for moving said jaw between said open and closed positions;   a cylinder for carrying said rod;   a hollow rotatable shaft for carrying said clamp;   a source of pressurized air;   means for supplying said pressurized air to said cylinder;   said hollow rotatable shaft forming a portion of said last mentioned means;   a support means for carrying said shaft and said clamp;   an endless belt drive means adjacent a major face of said support means;   a means for driving said endless belt;   a means for intermittently securing said belt to said support to move said support and clamp from a first position past said sewing machine, to a second position whereby a seam is stitched along an edge of said workpiece;   means for rotating said shaft 90° at said second position;   means for moving said support and clamp from said second position to said first position;   said last mentioned means including a pneumatically actuated piston rod secured to said support means; and   means for rotating said shaft 90° while said support and clamp are moving from said second position to said first position.   
     
     
       13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 12 including a means for removing said workpiece from said clamp after said support and clamp have reciprocated twice to said second position with a single workpiece. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said means for removing said workpiece includes a pair of jaws reciprocable between a position adjacent said second position and a workpiece stacking mechanism. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for sewing a pair of parallel spaced seams on a workpiece comprising: a sewing machine;   a workpiece clamp for holding a workpiece;   means for moving said clamp in a linear direction from an initial position past said sewing machine to stitch a seam along a first edge of said workpiece;   means for rotating said clamp 180° after said first edge is stitched;   means for returning said clamp along said linear direction to said initial position after a seam has been stitched along said first edge; and   means for moving said clamp along said linear direction from said initial position past said sewing machine to stitch a seam along a second edge of said workpiece, said second edge being generally parallel to and spaced from said first edge.   
     
     
       16. Apparatus in accordance with claim 15 including a means for removing said workpiece from said clamp after a seam has been stitched along a second edge of said workpiece. 
     
     
       17. Apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said clamp rotating means includes a hollow rotatable shaft and said workpiece clamp is attached to said shaft. 
     
     
       18. Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 wherein said clamp includes a movable jaw, a piston rod secured to said jaw to move said jaw, an air cylinder carrying said piston rod and a source of pressurized air communicating with said air cylinder, said hollow shaft forming a portion of the communication between said air cylinder and said source of pressurized air. 
     
     
       19. A workpiece clamp for holding workpieces while said workpieces are being sewn comprising: a top plate,   a bottom plate;   a hinge communicating said top plate to said bottom plate;   said plates being pivotable with respect to one another;   a movable piston rod for pivoting said plates with respect to one another, said rod having a free end attached to one of said plates;   a cylinder carrying said piston rod for movement with respect to said cylinder;   a hollow rotatable shaft;   the other plate being fixedly attached to said shaft;   means for rotating said shaft;   a source of pressurized air;   said pressurized air communicating with said cylinder by way of said hollow shaft for moving said piston rod.   
     
     
       20. Apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said means for rotating said shaft includes means for rotating said shaft in 90° increments. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said clamping bar is biased to its releasing position. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 including a means for intermittently moving said clamping bar against said bias to its belt securing position. 
     
     
       23. Apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said top plate is attached to the free end of said piston rod and said bottom plate is fixedly attached to said shaft. 
     
     
       24. Apparatus for sewing seams on a workpiece comprising: a rotatable workpiece clamp for holding a workpiece;   means for reciprocating said clamp between a forward and a rearward position;   means for stitching a seam to an edge of a workpiece while said means for reciprocating said clamp is moving said clamp from one of said forward and rearward directions;   drive means for rotating said clamp in discrete increments after a seam has been stitched to an edge of a workpiece;   said drive means including a motor means drivingly coupled to said clamp, an indexing cam operatively connected to said clamp, said indexing cam having a plurality of stop members, a pawl means for engaging said stop members to stop the rotation of said indexing cam and for allowing said indexing cam to rotate only in said discrete increments.